Recommendations

The authors of this study make the following recommendations for further related studies:

1. During the course of our work George A. Palmer recommended that we include a section in the report providing short vignettes of biographical information on key NPS personalities of the 1930s. Time and budget constraints proved to be an obstacle in obtaining and providing this data as part of this study. Thus, we recommend that a major study on early NPS personalities from 1917 to 1941 be programmed and carried out to accomplish the objective as put forth by Palmer. The study would necessarily include oral interviewing and correspondence with a large number of former NPS personnel and should be conducted with the aid of several former NPS personnel such as Mr. Palmer. This study could be published for general sale to the public.

2. A closely-related recommendation is that the NPS oral history program centered at Harpers Ferry be reactivated. There has been no active, large-scale NPS oral history program since S. Herbert Evison conducted numerous interviews with former NPS employees in the late 1960s and early 1970s. An active oral history program would be an important adjunct to the current NPS administrative history program.

3. An in-depth study of the Civilian Conservation Corps program in the National Parks should be undertaken. The study should include several case studies such as the CCC program in a western natural area, an eastern historical area, and a recreational area.

4. Since many of the issues, problems, and questions raised during the expansion decade of the 1930s were not dealt with until the Mission 66 program a study of that 10-year program would be a logical follow-up study to the one we are submitting.